India, a New-Old Frontier

15102009

Nuclear Programs:

American-India relations seem to be floating on the table, especially in regards to nuclear power proliferation. India will not sign an agreement to forgo its civilian nuclear program and will not allow the US to monitor its existing 14 nuclear reactors.

The problem lies with Iran, China, and Pakistan. If the US restricts and demands Iran to nuclear proliferation and does not do so with India, then there is a problem. If the US lender and widest trader, China, then India finds itself torn apart because of the opposing China government to India, where at this time, the Chinese are creating a “String of Pearls” of Naval bases, along the coast of Southeast Asia to the Persian Gulf, long the Indian Navy’s home seas, and Pakistan – where the US is supporting the governments efforts to rid itself from the powers of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The border with such a country with nuclear armament has built tensions with New Delhi, Islamabad, and Washington.

Trade:

Trade with India will probably be the deciding factor with US-India relations, since most US business’ are even more profitable in one of the largest democracies in the world. For instance, Coke-Cola’s most profitable market is in India, Citibank an Bank of America generate more profits in India than global markets. General Electric, the great American Icon, does billions in contracts in India. Reebok’s fast growing markets are in India. Motorola, another American Icon, considers India a very profitable world market as its third in profits. And last but not least McDonald’s and KFC are fast becoming a phenomenon in the fast passed Indian markets.

Terrorism:

One of the main concerns India faces with the resignation of Pakistan’s president, Pervez Mucharraf is the so called vacuum of power and instability of Pakistan – A place which provides better ground for the Taliban on the Pakistan-Afghanistan borders. But especially along the borders with India. Also the lack of precise government in order to be able to determine national and international policy has all but disappeared.

At the moment the only diplomacy afforded to India is the radical and sometimes belligerent antics of the crazed military leader, Musharraf.

India’s concerned with its neighboring country is because of its armament of nuclear weapons and its weak government that can easily fall into the hands of radical extremists.

Radical extremists have been linked to Pakistan by the attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul, and thus shares the same ideals as the US on the “War on Terror,”

And India has been affected in the recent past where it has fought against Pakistan – fighting a bitter conflict in 1999 in the Kargil region of the Indian-Administered Kashmir.

America is still hesitant to allow India its proper place on the world stage, but the country has proven as the only other largest democracy other than the US, that it can grow along side the US and its allies, thus contributing to world markets as a great new producer of highly educated people.

Dr. Manmohan Singh, India’s Prime Minister, considered a very thoughtful politician and is heralded as “impeccable” in his political stature, will be the center focus on how the world and especially the US, China and the other countries on the G-20 economic forum views Indian-World Relations.

Perhaps, it would not be a bad idea that this “Natural Alliance,” created by Singh, become part of the world stage, since it has already set itself up to become a supreme leader as a nuclear energy giant, and the quest to fight the “War on Terror.”